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SwedenRideau River at Ottawa water level
River gauge, Rideau River, Ontario, Canada
Right now
Very high for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 75.6 m³/s
History
20252026
What this means
High water at Rideau River at Ottawa: the latest reading is 3.39 m, well above normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.56 m above the median of 2.84 m for mid-October, based on 21 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 2.74 m (+0.65 m).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.73 m – 3.43 m.
That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.
Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.84 m0.56 m above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.68 m – 3.13 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.74 m+0.65 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.73 m – 3.43 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.65 m – 3.38 m
High water: what to watch for
Fast water is stronger than it looks. Even shallow water across a road can move a car, and riverbanks can be undercut and give way without warning.
Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.
About the Rideau River
The Rideau River is a river in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The river flows north from Upper Rideau Lake and empties into the Ottawa River at the Rideau Falls in Ottawa, Ontario. Its length is 146 kilometres (91 mi).
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 13 mm. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Rideau River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rideau River above Rideau FallsRiver gauge, Rideau River | 5.00 m | Very high | +0.01 m | 6.5 km |
| Rideau River below ManotickRiver gauge, Rideau River | 4.40 m | Very high | −0.02 m | 15 km |
| Rideau River below MerrickvilleRiver gauge, Rideau River | 4.63 m | Very high | ±0 | 49 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivière des Outaouais à HullRiver gauge, Rivière des Outaouais | 41.31 m | Low | +0.07 m | 5.6 km |
| Graham Creek at NepeanRiver gauge, Graham Creek | 0.88 m | Very high | −0.02 m | 9.7 km |
| Ottawa River at BritanniaRiver gauge, Ottawa River | 57.83 m | Low | +0.01 m | 11 km |
| Jock River near RichmondRiver gauge, Jock River | 6.58 m | Very high | −0.02 m | 16 km |
| South Castor River at KenmoreRiver gauge, South Castor River | 1.68 m | Very high | −0.19 m | 28 km |
| Becketts Creek near Cumberland EstatesRiver gauge, Becketts Creek | 6.81 m | High | −0.14 m | 30 km |
| Castor River at RussellRiver gauge, Castor River | 3.47 m | Very high | −0.13 m | 31 km |
| Carp River near KinburnRiver gauge, Carp River | 5.06 m | Very high | −0.05 m | 39 km |
Questions and answers
How does the Rideau River at Ottawa compare with last year?
It is 0.65 m higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.74 m.
What is a normal level for the Rideau River at Ottawa in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.84 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.68 m and 3.13 m, based on 21 years of records.
Is the river level the same as the depth of the water?
No. The reading is measured from a fixed zero mark at the gauge, so 3.39 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Rideau River at Ottawa today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 11:40 AM EDT, the water level was 3.39 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Rideau River at Ottawa rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.60 m over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Rideau River at Ottawa normal?
Very high for mid-October. Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year.
How often is this data updated?
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada publishes a new reading every hour. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada
- Station code
eccc:02LA004(Agency page)- Coordinates
45.38150, -75.69697(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- station datum (assumed datum)
- Update interval
- every hour
- Licence
- Open Government Licence – Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 3.39 m | 2026-10-18 15:40 | Provisional |
| Flow | 75.6 m³/s | 2026-10-18 15:40 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada: Rideau River at Ottawa (eccc:02LA004). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/canada/ontario/rideau-river-at-ottawa
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer